Self-driving company LODD conducts the first test flight of a Heli aircraft in the Al Ain region

• LODDAutonomous has completed the first test flight of HaileyIt is a heavy-duty hybrid cargo aircraft designed and manufactured entirely in Abu Dhabi. This event, which was held in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during Abu Dhabi Autonomy Week, highlights the emirate’s growing leadership in the field of autonomous aviation and advanced logistics services.
• Heli can carry payloads of up to 250 kilograms for a distance of approximately 700 kilometers, using a hybrid propulsion system that combines electric and internal combustion technologies to achieve greater efficiency, safety and sustainability.
• The Emirati leadership highlighted this achievement as a major step in strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for autonomous systems, future air mobility and local technological innovation. Senior officials pointed out that the development of the aircraft reflects the successful cooperation between the public and private sectors and the emirate’s continued investment in advanced engineering, national talent, and sustainable air transport solutions.

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the self-driving company LODD conducted the first test flight of the Heli, a heavy-duty hybrid cargo aircraft that was entirely designed, manufactured and built in Abu Dhabi, during an event held at the company’s flight test facility at Emirates Falcons in Al Ain, as part of the Abu Dhabi Self-Driving Week activities.

Heli aircraft can transport payloads of up to 250 kilograms over distances of approximately 700 kilometres, supported by a hybrid propulsion system that combines electricity and internal combustion technologies within a modular design, ensuring high levels of efficiency, safety and sustainability in air cargo operations.

His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed that Heli’s successful first flight reflects Abu Dhabi’s leadership in developing autonomous aviation and advanced logistics systems, and embodies the emirate’s ambitious vision to transform innovation into applied solutions that drive economic and technological growth.

His Highness also praised the great progress achieved by the sector in developing and manufacturing smart self-driving systems in Abu Dhabi, especially in the field of advanced air mobility, thanks to the continued support of the Smart Self-Driving Systems Council.

His Highness stressed that this achievement reflects the leadership’s priorities in empowering national talent, promoting local innovation, and enhancing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for sustainable air mobility and autonomous driving technologies.

On this occasion, His Excellency Faisal Abdul Aziz Al Bannai, Advisor to His Highness the President of the State for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, delivered a speech in which he praised this achievement, highlighting its importance in driving rapid progress in the vital air transport and logistics services sector, and describing it as a testimony to Abu Dhabi’s vision and continued investment in enabling globally competitive innovations locally.

Rashid Al Mannai, CEO of LODD Autonomous, said: “At LODD Autonomous, we are aligned with the UAE’s vision for advanced air mobility and autonomous systems to strengthen the country’s position as a global hub for future technologies. We express our deep appreciation to the UAE’s leadership for its continued support of advanced aviation and autonomous driving systems. This forward-looking vision has created a thriving environment for innovation, enabling us to successfully design, manufacture and test Heli aircraft, from Abu Dhabi to the world. Highlighting the UAE’s ability to develop Advanced technologies with global impact.

“We are extremely proud to witness the success of Healy’s first test flight, which represents the culmination of years of work and innovation. This achievement is not just a technical achievement, but a reflection of the UAE’s growing position as a global center for technology and innovation in the field of smart and sustainable air mobility.

“Through these achievements, LODD Autonomous continues to consolidate its position as one of the UAE’s leading national entities in advanced air transportation, supporting the country’s vision to be a global destination for autonomous systems, logistics and future aviation technologies.”

The first test flight of the Heli aircraft, in the presence of senior representatives of government agencies and private sector companies working in the field of air mobility and autonomous systems, represents a major engineering and operational achievement that demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s growing capabilities in designing and manufacturing advanced aviation systems.

The aircraft was developed within the framework of an extensive engineering program focusing on safety, precision and quality, which highlights the emirate’s ability to transform vision into tangible and realistic solutions quickly and efficiently.

This achievement comes as a result of broad strategic cooperation, which reflects international confidence in the innovation system in the United Arab Emirates, and confirms the success of Abu Dhabi’s approach in strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors that work to accelerate the development of advanced technologies and the shift towards sustainable and autonomous air mobility solutions.